 Poster: A snowHead
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I've been pricing a January holiday in Meribel. While you can get good deals on appartments the other ancilliary costs put the price significantly higher in comparrison with other resorts.
The biggest cost by far is ski school for the kids. The 2 main ski schools that i've seen, (New Generation and Magic) come in at over £350 per child per week, plus they'll need a 3V pass.
In comparrison, across the other side of the 'hill' is Val Thorens. Ski school there costs approx £120.
I do accept that, we're not comparing like with like. Meribel skis schools only seem to offer 4 hr+ daily lesson for kids. VT is 3 hrs. Whilst it will allow us to free ski, or take lessons. Even taking that into account the duration and assiocated cost seems rather excessive.
So, i'm struggling to find a Meribel ski school that comes in with:- reasonble times (2 - 3 hrs per day max) and a realistic price. To me, £350 per child, per week, for the 'little angels' ski school is not reasonable. Any advice?
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sun 15-11-09 9:19; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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After looking further I now see that ESF do the lesson type we're after (mornings \ afternoons) and the price is more within reason. £100 £130 per week. Any info\advice on ESF in Meribel?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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BMF_Skier, I put my daughter through the ESF Mottaret system until she finished all her badges.. then she did two sessions with Magic.
The ESF was excellent but make sure that your kids are in an "international" class this is meant to signify that the teacher will be delivering the lesson in english. The instructors that take these lessons have good english... Her last class was a competition course that wasnt "international" and although her skiing came on fantastically it was boring for her as it was done in French and the instructor was only able to give her limited attention/chats in English.
If you go skiing in early Jan be aware that it is the RUssian New Years and you may have loads of Russian speakers in courses. the kids typically speak good english but the parents tend to be somewhat aloof.....
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thought I'd give this thread a bump.
It still appears that only ESF have the half day kids ski school option in Meribel. Other organisations options are excessively expensive. I suppose it’s to keep the riff raff and hoi polloi away. It’s the one thing that stopped us booking Meribel this year.
So, I’m still struggling to find a Meribel ski school that comes in with: - reasonable times (2 - 3 hrs per day max) and a realistic price. To me, £350 per child, per week, for the 'little angels' ski school is not reasonable. Any advice?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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try www.skimarmalade.com one of the best instructors in Meribel IMO has set up his own school you may be able to get in early. if you book tell derek scott the yank says hi...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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BMF_Skier, can't you just go with the ESF?
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skimottaret, I'd seen this 'school' on a search, but it purely looks like private tuition.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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geeo, We could use Parallel lines if I wanted to pay over £300 per child. For example:-
Sunday Safari Start: £345 based on 24 hours tuition.
Monday Safari Start: £306 based on 20 hours tuition.
beanie1, Both had and heard of bad experiences with ESF. I know every instructor is different but still rather not use ESF.
In Val Thorens the kids were with ProsNiege, they were very good and only 144 €. Would use them again if we returned to VT.
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BMF_Skier, it is wrong to lump all esf schools together as being 'bad' , my kids had some very good lessons with them in La Rosiere, and also La Plagne. Is there no Ecole du Ski Internationale in Meribel?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Helen Beaumont, agree fully with that
BMF_Skier, i think these guys are ESI http://www.snow-systems.com/ not used them but worth a look. with regards to Derek at Ski Marmalade he is just starting up this year but has been a senior guy with Magic for many years and is also a BASI trainer and bumps guru, might be worth contacting him to see what he could put together for you.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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and if skimottaret found it was good for his daughter? He knows a thing or two about ski instructing. 
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pam w, well yes... i had my daughter do a course of lessons at my local dry slope and then in Meribel did mornings with the ESF until in her teens and she then went with Magic as they had specific teens courses for better skiers. I tend not to try to overtly "teach" her anything during our free skiing and I personally think a half day is plenty for kids lessons. The ESF get bashed a lot here and my personal experience has been very good with them. Certainly the race coaches are fabulous and the kids clubs in Mottaret and Meribel centre are very very good.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I've not rattled a few cages here have I?  .
pam w, skimottaret, Helen Beaumont, thought I said
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I know every instructor is different but still rather not use ESF. |
I can speak from own experience of alloof ESF instructors who give you the feeling they are doing you a favour. Maybe an isolated example, but then it's my choice!
Questions still stands about good VFM ski school for children in Meribel though.
Just looking at the ESI web site now, on initial inspection seems OK. Trying to work out their charges. Thanks for the lead skimottaret.
Has anyone used ESI for childrens classes?
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Poster: A snowHead
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BMF_Skier, not in Meribel, but we have used them in Flaine, and they were fine. No cages rattled at all, lise Skimottaret the anti-ESF attitude on here annoys me sometimes, but everyone is entitled to their own opinions.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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BMF_Skier, I did a few weeks with the ESF as a child and I turned out ok (never needed to unlearn anything they taught me anyway!). They may not have as good a rep as some of the other ski schools you've mentioned, but I guess that is reflected in the price... I think for younger kids (how old are they?) as long as they keep them safe and have fun that's good enough for most, they'll learn just by doing.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Helen Beaumont wrote: |
| BMF_Skier, or you could always try somewhere other than the 3V?, |
We are, in Jan 2010 we are in Les Arcs. Primarily because we couldn't get VFM lessons for the kids in Meribel. It's a new area to explore and we're really looking forward to it. €150 for 1/2 day lessons with Arc Adventures. I just wanted to see if there were any updates or changes in Meribel.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Has anyone used ESI for childrens classes
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yes, but it's irrelevant really as each ESI is a distinct school - I don't think you could necessarily draw parallels. The ESF have a more central and standardized (and therefore inflexible) approach. The ESI in our village has a maximum class size of 10, but I think that varies a bit - some are lower, I think.
Obviously an outfit with much smaller class sizes will be more expensive - but it does sound as though Meribel is particularly pricey; some of those costs are fairly daft. But then you don't go to Meribel for bargains, do you?
(To rattle some cages myself, I'm not sure what people DO go to Meribel for. )
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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beanie1, I agree.
Megamums kids are 7 and 10, and already doing very well. We want to ensure they continue to ejoy the experience. When the had lessons in Switzerland they weren't always that happy. They seemed realy to enjoy Prosniege in VT and came on in leaps and bounds. Thats what were are trying to repeat this year.
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(To rattle some cages myself, I'm not sure what people DO go to Meribel for. wink)
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I went there briefly on a day trip, I didn't hang around for long. 
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pam w, Sorry, apparently I hadn't made it clear, has anyone used ESI school called snow-systems in Meribel?
There are bargains in accomodation in Meribel, and you dont need to pay the earth for anything when you go SC. The key benefit is see is the links to the other valleys.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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BMF_Skier, not rattled at all just trying to give a balanced view, not all of the 15,000 ESF instructors are aloof...
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The Snow Systems prices seem more reasonable.
Sun - Fri - 2 hours per day : 190€ each
Mon - Fri - 2 hours per day : 160€ each
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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BMF_Skier, what does derek charge?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Quote: |
the links to the other valleys.
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I'm no 3V expert but I think the links are better from Mottaret. But I've only spent a week in each, and not that recently, either. One day I spent in Meribel last year I enjoyed, because with my son who I hadn't seen for a while and it was a nice sunny day. But I have to say that the only skiing I really enjoyed for its own sake was Mont Vallons, which was fantastic. The bottom bit - where all the runs come down just above the rondpoint - seemed very crowded, slightly nerve-wracking (folk shooting at you from all directions, and generally at higher speeds than they could handle) and relentlessly Brit. I suppose I've just got spoiled by having pistes to myself.
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BMF_Skier, try these guys http://www.ultimatesnowsports.com/home.htm
Contact Sam at Courchevel base. He is in La Tania. If you are booking an out of peak season week he might be able to sort something out to come over to you, or the lesson timings might be such that you can get the kids over there.
I had a recommendation for him and am trying to work out a booking for our big group of kids next season.
Worth an email, see what they can offer 
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| skimottaret wrote: |
| BMF_Skier, what does derek charge? |
His web site states he offers private lessons, so it's not applicable as we were after childrens group lessons for the kids. His web site prices state :-
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| Daily rates are generally between £300 and £425 according to group size, times and services required etc. Other lessons are priced between £45 and £60 per hour again according to the variables mentioned |
£300 per day? £150 per day each for the kids? Hmm, nice if you have that sort of money i'm sure!
The best so far appears to be the ESI school called snow-systems
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Poster: A snowHead
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BMF_Skier, what i was getting at with derek was that you may be able to cut a deal if you contacted him directly given you are going fairly low season... have fun skiing whatever you decide
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Go with New Generation or Marmelade, both British Ski schools.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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cdmogulski, Wish I could afford them, both way too expensive. If you dont believe me go to their web sites and do the maths. I dont believe £350 per child , per week good VFM! Marmelade ski will do private lessons but not childrens group classes. New Gen doesn't do kids classes outside half term \school hols.
The best suggestion so far is Snow_systems.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Like skimottaret, our children have used ESF and then Magic. We always did the ESF half day courses for them as it was financially more viable and proved to be enough. Out of many years there was only one instructor we didn't rate but we just didn't think he was much fun he certainly didn't do their skiing any harm. I agree with the comment about asking for your children to be in an international class, that should help.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I dont believe £350 per child , per week good VFM!
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No, it seems an awful lot of money. For that, you could have 20 hours of private lessons for two people (or almost 27 hours out of the school hols) in our resort.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| BMF_Skier wrote: |
cdmogulski, Wish I could afford them, both way too expensive. If you dont believe me go to their web sites and do the maths. I dont believe £350 per child , per week good VFM! Marmelade ski will do private lessons but not childrens group classes. New Gen doesn't do kids classes outside half term \school hols.
The best suggestion so far is Snow_systems. |
Fair comment. Im sure many would agree that the bigest problem you could face would be the language barrier. If you get someone that speaks good English in the schools that have been proposed you should be fine. Being a British instructor myself I of course do see people support British schools in the Alps but there re many good instructors out there too with other schools. Good luck and I hope the kids have a great time.
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If you are going in January (i.e. not in British school holidays) there will be very few other British kids there that week so New Gen etc. will be unlikely to have any kids groups running (still worth checking but they dont run many outside school holidays due to lack of demand) ESF may have kids groups running but as not many british kids likely to be a mixed language group which is not ideal.
Please do not do Snow Systems, they are cheap for a reason.......
Your best bet would be a couple of private lessons I think.
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snowrider, Thanks for the advice. We'd reached the same conclusion about NewGen.
The kids learn much better from group lessons, plus they are at the stage where they need more than a couple of hour’s tuition. We're trying to balance:-
1) Kids have lessons that they can relate to\ understand. It doesn't have to be a British ski school.
2) Cost, as I said about >£300 per child for ski school is a joke.
3) Allow the kids time away from adults and us away from them (in the mornings). We then ski together in the afternoon and they show 'us' how it's done!
Interesting point about
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| do not do Snow Systems, they are cheap for a reason....... |
do you or someone you know have past experience? This is the only one that is remotely affordable. Still 1/3rd more than VT and Prosneige.
We primarily wanted a change of resort and having found a good apartment (at the right price) the stumbling block was the ski school. We are now going to Les Arcs and the kids are having lessons with Arc Adventures. 9 weeks and counting every day. Just need to get the snow ordered and delivered!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Just had a quick look at the Snow Systems website and the reason they are cheaper is because their lessons are only 2 hours long. New Gen may be twice the price but their lessons are twice as long so the hourly rate is roughly the same. Just had a bad impression of some Snow Systems instructors on the hill, i.e. seen one smoking during a lesson and another shouting/screaming at a kid that didnt understand his english. I'm sure they have some good instructors but these incidents stuck in my mind.
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FAQ
